Twas the Night Before Christmas
by JenCala28
Summary: "Merlin, we live in a Muggle neighborhood now!" Sirius exclaimed, eyes wide, as if the thought had just occurred to him. Remus looked at him in confusion. "What does that have to do with anything?" "That means Santa can come bring us presents!" The silence after Sirius' statement was deafening.


This piece was written for the Slash Zone and Fairest of the Rare's We Wish You a Merry Slash-mas fest. Special thanks to my fabulous beta Sandra Sempra who makes my words infinitely better!

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Remus walked out of the bathroom toweling his hair and couldn't help but smile as he overheard Sirius' off-key singing coming from their kitchen.

"We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!"

He stepped into the kitchen and watched as Sirius hummed to himself, wearing an apron in the shape of a Christmas tree over his garishly decorated reindeer sweater, stirring the mulled wine simmering on the cooker.

Hearing Remus' chuckle, Sirius turned and grinned at his boyfriend. "Finally out of the shower? Everyone will be here soon, love."

"Are you wearing that hideous sweater in hopes to distract our friends from your horrible attempts at cooking?" Remus smirked.

Sirius narrowed his eyes playfully and walked towards Remus, wrapping his arms around him and kissing the tip of his nose. "You can't possibly be making fun of my choice in sweaters when half of our wardrobe is filled with your dubious choices in fashion. I'll have you know this outfit is extremely festive."

Remus laughed and pressed a soft kiss to Sirius' mouth. "I love your Christmas spirit."

"And yet you make fun of the glorious dinner I slaved over." Sirius pouted.

"I know what your attempts at cooking usually result in, Pads. Though I must say, it does smell wonderful in here."

Sirius smirked. "Never doubt my skills again, will you Moony?"

Remus raised an eyebrow and stepped past his boyfriend, opening the door to the oven and peering inside at the succulent turkey roasting surrounded by golden potatoes and carrots. There was another dish warming of brussel sprouts covered in bacon and a balsamic glaze and a tray of Yorkshire pudding warming next to them.

Remus closed the oven and stared at Sirius in amazement. "You did all this?"

Sirius scoffed. "Still you doubt me!"

Remus grinned and turned to the sink, quickly looking in the cupboard underneath where the trash bin was stored.

"Ha!" Remus cried, laughing as he pulled out a large container bearing the logo of the Leaky Cauldron. "Made it all yourself, did you? Slaved over a hot cooker all day?"

"How in Merlin's name did you figure that out?" Sirius asked, dumbfounded.

Remus couldn't stop laughing. "I know you pretty well, Pads, and there is no way this flat would still be standing if you decided to cook this entire meal yourself. I don't even see scorch marks anywhere!"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Well, it's not like I was going to cock up Christmas dinner for our friends now, was I? You know I'm shit at cooking!"

Remus stowed the container back in the bin and still laughing, walked back to Sirius, wrapping his arms around his waist. Sirius responded with a sheepish grin.

"What am I going to do with you, Pads?"

Sirius waggled his eyebrows. "Something naughty, I hope."

Remus' lips curled up into a full grin. "Oh I think you've been _very_ naughty. You deserve something naughty in return."

Their mouths met in a soft kiss that quickly turned heated. Remus pushed Sirius against the kitchen counter, his hands tangled in his lover's obsidian hair. Sirius ran his hands down Remus' chest, slipping one down to the front of Remus' trousers.

"Hard for me already, Moony?" Sirius smirked against his mouth, cupping his thick length through the soft material.

Remus licked a trail down Sirius' jaw, scraping his teeth against the stubbled skin of his neck. "What can I say? The thought of my man slaving away in the kitchen turns me on." Remus murmured breathily against his skin.

Sirius' chuckle turned into a moan as Remus bit down on the juncture between his neck and shoulder. He grasped Remus' arse and rolled his hips, relishing the growl that escaped his boyfriend's lips as their cocks brushed together.

Just then a series of knocks came from their front door and both groaned.

Remus leaned his forehead against Sirius'. "Fuck. They're here already."

Sirius stepped back reluctantly, trying to catch his breath and will down his rampant erection. "Damn their impeccable timing."

Remus straightened his clothing with a grin. "We'll just have to pick this up later."

He pressed a quick kiss to Sirius' lips before hurrying to open the door for their friends.

James, Lily, Peter, and Peter's girlfriend Mary, came bounding in calling out Christmas greetings as Sirius appeared from the kitchen. Remus took everyone's coats and had just enough time to return from storing them in his and Sirius' bedroom when another knock at the door signaled the arrival of Marlene and Dorcas.

Once they were all settled in the lounge with drinks, Lily commented on the aromas wafting in from the kitchen. "It smells amazing in here! I hope it tastes just as good, boys."

"Oh, Sirius is responsible for this entire dinner. I wouldn't want to take any of the credit away from him." Remus winked at Sirius.

James groaned. "Bugger this, _Sirius_ cooked everything? Who's up for some takeaway?"

"Oi!" Sirius scowled. "I'll have you know you're going to love my efforts."

Marlene grinned. "You just ordered from somewhere, didn't you?"

Sirius sniffed and tilted his chin haughtily. "And I'll have _you_ know that it took quite a bit of effort to order enough food for you lot."

Sirius whinged over the roars of laughter from his friends. "I _did_ make the mulled wine though."

"Well, we can definitely trust Padfoot to get the liquor right at least!" Peter offered.

Remus took pity at Sirius' pout and stood to help him serve. "Come on, Pads, I'll help you get everything to the table."

They all gathered around the magically enlarged table to the side of the lounge and made a huge show of _oohing_ and _aahing_ over the dishes their hosts laid before them. Once they were all seated and served, conversation flowed as smoothly as the wine.

"I have to know. Why are you lads living in a Muggle building?" Dorcas asked.

Remus wiped his mouth with his serviette. "It was Sirius' idea really. He wanted to see how the other half lived."

Sirius nodded. "It's been great so far. We're not far from Diagon and there's so much to see and do in Muggle London."

"Sure, because you two ever come up for air enough to leave the bedroom!" James scoffed. "Now that you have some privacy I thought for sure we wouldn't see you blokes for at least a year."

Peter laughed. "At least we don't have to knock and walk into the dorms with our eyes covered all the time now!"

"Oi, that was one time!" Sirius cried, indignant. "And we _do_ leave the bedroom. We were actually just defiling the kitchen earlier."

Remus groaned and put his head in his hands. "Sirius!"

Lily pushed her plate back with a smile. "On that note, I think I'm done eating."

Marlene made a face. "Ugh, near our food? Yeah, I'm done."

They all laughed and thankfully had finished eating before Sirius' announcement, and made quick work of clearing the table. They settled back into the lounge with drinks.

"The wine is excellent, Sirius." Mary complimented from her spot next to Peter on the sofa.

"Thank you, Mary." Sirius grinned. "You have excellent taste in liquor, if not men."

Sirius dodged the cushion Peter threw at his head and leaned back against Remus' legs from his spot on the floor.

"So what do you think Santa will bring you this year, Sirius?" Lily teased. "Have you been a good boy?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "A dog bone, if he's lucky."

"Merlin, we live in a Muggle neighborhood now!" Sirius exclaimed, eyes wide, as if the thought had just occurred to him.

Remus looked at him in confusion. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"That means Santa can come bring us presents!"

The silence after Sirius' statement was deafening.

Marlene was the first to break it. "Umm, Sirius? You do know that Santa isn't real, right?"

"It's just a Muggle story to make small children behave, Sirius. It isn't real." Lily chimed in before taking a full sip of her wine.

Sirius' eyes sparkled as he offered an enthusiastic rebuttal. "Santa's real name is St. Nicholas in the stories, right?" When the others nodded he went on. "Well St. Nicholas was a real person and magic is real as _we_ all know, but the Muggles don't. Most legends have a basis in truth and this one probably does too."

"That doesn't mean that Santa Claus is really going to deliver presents to you though, Sirius. It's just a story!" James' tone was teasing, but he looked genuinely perplexed.

"Laugh all you want, Prongs, but now we're in a Muggle flat, Santa just may be able to deliver presents to us after all. _You_ wouldn't get any, of course, because you're being a prat."

Remus shook his head. "I knew I should never have let you read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

"Ooh, what's that?" Dorcas asked.

"It's a classic Muggle Christmas story about St. Nick." Lily explained.

Dorcas grinned. "I want to hear it!"

Sirius practically bounded out of the room to retrieve the book from their bedroom. He returned, eagerly, handing the book to Remus before settling down against his legs with an expectant look on his face. "Moony has a wonderful reading voice."

Remus held the book loosely in his hand and looked at his friends. "You really want me to read it?"

Peter shrugged. "It's Christmas Eve, what better time?"

Remus sighed. "Fine."

He settled more comfortably into the couch cushions and opened the book, clearing his throat before he began to read.

"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

James laughed, nudging Peter. "Having a nap, Wormtail?"

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter's nap."

"Who the hell wears a 'kerchief or cap to bed?" Marlene snorted.

"It's probably a Muggle thing." Mary reasoned.

Remus ignored the interruptions. "When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer."

Sirius chortled. "Hey Prongs, you moonlighting as a sleigh driver for extra galleons?"

"Do you arses want me to keep going or not?" Remus sighed.

Sirius was getting irritated himself at all the interruptions. He shot them all a glare and after a bit of shuffling they quieted down to let Remus continue.

"With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; 'Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN! On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!'"

"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, so up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, the prancing and pawing of each little hoof."

"Wait, a fat guy and eight reindeer in a sleigh land on people's roofs?" Dorcas interrupted. "That's insane!"

Remus kept going. "As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound."

"Now I _know_ he's real and magic! They clearly mean he Floo'd in!" Sirius exclaimed.

Remus shook his head at Sirius' reasoning and continued once again. "He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;"

"It's why I hate traveling by Floo." Mary whispered.

"A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.  
His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;"

"He sounds a bit like Dumbledore." Marlene laughed.

Remus sighed audibly and glared at them all before turning back to the book. "The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;"

"Make that Flitwick." Dorcas chimed in.

"A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;  
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. but I heard him exclaim, before he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

Remus closed the book with a thud. "I'm done. Now you can all bugger off."

Sirius stood and squeezed himself between Remus and Lily on the couch, wrapping an arm around Remus' shoulder. "Thank you, Moonshine, that was lovely."

Remus rolled his eyes, but smiled as the others praised him for his reading. He leaned his head against Sirius' shoulder, enjoying the warmth of being surrounded by his friends and chosen family.

"Now do you see why I know Santa Claus is real?" Sirius asked, shattering Remus' calm.

James groaned. "Padfoot, it's just a story!"

"Of course it's a story, but there has to be a nugget of truth in there that started it. It's true with all the legends and fairy tales the Muggles tell." Sirius argued. "There's so much evidence of actual _real_ magic in the story that it just has to be true."

Marlene gently scooted her girlfriend Dorcas off her lap and onto the armchair they had been sitting on. "If we're going to try to knock some sense into this vain git I'm going to need some more alcohol. Anyone else?"

Lily got up to help Marlene refresh drinks while the others continued to argue with Sirius about Santa Claus.

Remus sat quietly, trying not to laugh at his boyfriend's reasonings on St. Nick's existence because he secretly loved Sirius' exuberance around the holidays and his naivete was endearing. It was really sweet how he held onto the childish belief despite everyone's insistence he was wrong.

An hour or so of bickering had worked up everyone's appetites and they had devoured the Christmas pudding. The spiced wine and firewhiskey to wash it down had them all a bit sloshed and made their arguments more creative, but Sirius was still convinced St. Nicholas would make an appearance.

"Alright, it's time I get this one to bed." Lily sighed, one arm around James' waist as he drunkenly said goodnight to his friends.

"Don't let her fool you, Moony." James slurred. "My precious Lily-flower just wants to get me home and ravish me."

Marlene interrupted with a kiss to Lily's cheek first and then Remus'. "While I highly doubt that, Potter, _I_ am definitely rushing home to ravish my own beautiful woman." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, pulling a blushing Dorcas behind her as they called farewells to everyone and walked out the door.

Sirius and Remus said their goodbyes to the rest of their friends, warning them to be careful apparating as they were all a bit worse for wear thanks to Sirius' brilliant alcoholic concoction. Once the last guest had left, Sirius closed the door and turned to Remus with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"I do believe you said something about letting me ravish _you_ later."

Remus grinned as Sirius stepped towards him. "Oh I think I can be persuaded. It _is_ Christmas after all."

They came together in the middle of the lounge, mouths meeting in a searing kiss. Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus' waist, palms kneading Remus' arse and pulling him flush against himself.

"Bedroom. _Now_." Remus moaned against Sirius' lips.

Sirius complied, their kiss never breaking, hungrily exploring each other's mouths as he walked Remus backwards to their bedroom.

Once inside, Sirius backed Remus to the foot of their bed. "Clothes _off_." He relished the feral gleam in Remus' eyes at his forceful command.

They quickly stripped the other from their clothing and Sirius pushed Remus to lay flat on the bed. He took a moment to take in Remus' body in all its' naked glory; the scars from his inner wolf crisscrossing all over his supple skin, the thick, long cock proudly jutting against his stomach, and the desire in his eyes as he stared at Sirius's own nakedness unabashedly.

"Merlin, you're beautiful." Sirius whispered, awe evident in his voice.

Remus blushed, biting his lower lip at the compliment. "You're the one who's beautiful. Come here."

Sirius shook his head, crawling up Remus' body and straddling his hips. He moaned softly as their bare cocks brushed together, but fought down his desire to ravage his lover. He needed to make Remus believe how he saw him.

Sirius cupped Remus' cheek with his palm, thumb softly stroking his cheek. Grey eyes met green and Sirius' chest felt tight with all the love he felt for this man underneath him.

"You're exquisite, Remus. I'm _so_ proud you're mine."

Remus' breath caught seeing the sincerity in Sirius' eyes, his love for him shining in their mercurial depths. Though they'd said the words to each other countless times in their three years together, the rawness now as they fell from his lips was new. "I love you, Sirius. So much."

Sirius didn't wait any longer and bent down to capture Remus' lips. Remus' lips parted, allowing Sirius entrance to stroke his tongue against his own, savoring the taste of the spiced wine that clung to his mouth.

Remus ran his hands down Sirius' back, the skin smooth and warm under his fingertips. He clutched Sirius' hips and rolled his own, swallowing Sirius' moan at the brush of their cocks.

Sirius pulled back, eyes hooded with pleasure. "I want to taste you."

He slid down Remus' body, a smirk playing on his lips as Remus' cock stood proudly in front of him. He flicked his tongue out, running it up the underside of his prick, grinning as he felt Remus shudder beneath him.

He licked the head slowly, dipping his tongue in the slit and savoring the taste of the leaking pre-cum before he wrapped his lips around him and swallowed him down almost to the root.

Remus groaned, the sensation of Sirius' hot mouth engulfing him sending waves of pleasure throughout his entire body. He gripped the sheets as Sirius worked his cock expertly, trying not to thrust savagely into Sirius' mouth.

"Fuck." Remus watched his boyfriend, utterly gorgeous with those pink lips wrapped firmly around his prick. The heat coiled low in Remus' belly at the sensations and view of Sirius thoroughly enjoying devouring his cock - he gripped Sirius' hair as gently as he could in his lust-filled daze, urging him to stop.

Sirius released Remus' cock with a sinful-sounding pop, confusion on his face. "What's wrong?"

Remus used his werewolf strength to pull Sirius up and flip him over onto his back roughly, a feral grin on his lips as he spoke softly into Sirius' ear. "I want to be inside you when I come."

Sirius shivered at the low, husky tone of Remus' voice, clutching his lover's shoulders as Remus sucked and nipped a trail down the taut column of Sirius' neck. "Fuck _. Yes_."

Remus grinned against Sirius' skin, kissing and scraping his teeth down his neck, shoulder, and chest. He flicked his tongue at a rosy nipple, Sirius' whimper going straight to his cock. He bit down gently, worrying the pebbled tip between his teeth and causing Sirius' hips to buck up blindly seeking friction.

Remus kissed his way down Sirius' toned stomach, teeth nipping at the jut of his hip bone, licking a trail down to his inner thighs. He chuckled darkly as he felt Sirius' frustration when his leaking cock was ignored.

Remus shifted and pulled Sirius' legs over his shoulders, granting him better access to the puckered hole before him. His tongue darted out, gently licking Sirius' perineum before circling his entrance. Remus swiped his tongue over the tight hole several times, holding Sirius' hips down as he thrashed above him.

Sirius couldn't hold back his guttural moan as Remus' tongue entered him, pointed and flickering. A string of nonsensical swear words left his mouth as the delicious sensations coursed through him, his hand instinctively wrapping around his neglected cock. He'd barely managed a pull on his achingly hard prick before Remus' hand stilled his own.

"No, Padfoot, not yet."

Sirius bit his lip, frustration and ecstasy mingling as he fought his arousal, practically _begging_ Remus to touch his weeping cock.

Remus chuckled against Sirius' arsehole, his tongue still deep inside, and Sirius almost came untouched from the vibrations. He clenched his fists into the bedsheets, head thrown back.

"Damn it, Moony. _Fuck me_." Sirius growled.

Remus sat up on his haunches, wiping his mouth with the back of one hand. "All you had to do was ask."

Sirius wanted to smack the pleased look off of his boyfriend's face, but instead closed his eyes on a moan as he felt Remus' wandless lubricating spell coat his passage a moment before a long finger entered him.

As a second finger joined the first, Sirius whimpered again, not caring how desperate he looked as he reached for Remus. " _Now_. I'm ready, just fuck me."

Remus quickly pulled his fingers out and lined up his cock at Sirius' entrance. He teased him for a moment longer, running the head of his cock around the puckered hole before he slipped the head in slowly. Sirius' moans fueled his slide in, the tight squeeze of his passage almost too much for Remus.

Remus stilled for a moment, letting Sirius adjust to being filled, before he pulled out and then slid back in with a groan. He built up a rhythm, his hips snapping against Sirius', the latter meeting him thrust for thrust.

Sirius surged up, grabbing onto Remus' shoulders for support as he claimed his lover's lips, their tongues mimicking the slide of Remus' cock inside him.

Suddenly Remus pulled out completely, leaving Sirius bereft. "On your knees." Remus growled against Sirius' lips.

Sirius quickly turned and spread his knees apart, his arse in the air as he bent forward on his elbows. Remus wasted no time in sliding back inside, both men groaning at the sensation.

Remus' fingers dug into Sirius' hips, sure to leave bruises, pistoning deeper and faster. He bent forward and wrapped an arm around Sirius' torso, pulling him up so his back was flush against his chest. Sirius threw his head back on Remus' shoulder, his hand working his own cock in unison with Remus' savage thrusts.

Remus couldn't ignore the delicious expanse of flesh before him and latched onto the delicate area just above Sirius' collarbone, roughly kissing and biting the porcelain skin, urged on by the guttural noises escaping Sirius' mouth.

He felt the tension coil low in his belly, his speed increasing as he strove for release.

"Come for me." Remus demanded, his lips against Sirius' ear.

Sirius felt Remus' words vibrate through his body, his hand flying over his cock. He felt Remus shudder against him, his hips stuttering as he came inside him, a growl forced from Remus as his teeth sunk into Sirius' shoulder.

That was all it took for Sirius to let go, his release tearing a scream from his lips as thick, white streams erupted from his prick and all over his hand.

Sirius fell forward, Remus halting his descent, and they both collapsed onto the bed, spent from their lovemaking. Their breath came in short pants and Sirius could feel Remus' heartbeat against his back as he held him close.

After a few minutes, once their breathing returned to normal, Remus reached over to the bedside table for his wand, quickly casting a few cleansing charms over them both. He placed his wand back on the table and turned back to Sirius, pulling him against his chest.

Sirius sighed contentedly. "That was amazing, Moony."

Remus smiled softly. "It's always amazing with you, love."

Sirius propped himself up on his elbow to gaze into Remus' eyes. "I love you, you know."

Remus grinned, pushing some of the sweat-slicked hair off of Sirius' forehead. "I know, Pads. I love you, too."

Sirius pressed a soft kiss to Remus' lips, but a sudden noise had him pulling back.

"What the fuck was that?"

Remus stilled, alert. Another clang sounded from the direction of their roof. "What the fuck?"

Sirius shot out of bed, hastily pulling on his pants. "Remus! It's Santa Claus!"

Remus looked incredulously at his boyfriend as another bang sounded from the roof. "Sirius...be _serious_. There's no such thing as Santa Claus."

Sirius' eyes were bright and he shook his head. "You're wrong and I'm about to prove it!" He darted from the room before Remus could move.

Remus got out of bed, quickly pulling his own pants on and grabbing his wand from the nightstand.

"Fucking git, it's going to be a burglar and we're going to be murdered in our underpants because my boyfriend is a sodding idiot." Remus muttered before following Sirius into the lounge.

Sirius stood in front of the fireplace, bouncing on the balls of his bare feet. "This is it, Moony!"

Remus stared at him bewildered. "What's it? The night we get murdered?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, but the rapturous expression on his flushed face didn't change. "No, this is it! I finally get to meet Santa Claus!"

"Oh buggering hell." Remus groaned. "Padfoot, there _is_ _ **no**_ Santa Claus! That's probably a prowler intent on robbing and murdering us, not a fat man in a red suit bearing gifts!"

Sirius could not be swayed and the eager expression on his face remained even as another loud clang sounded right above their heads.

Just then, something fell through their chimney, loud swear words and a muffled _'Oi, you git!_ ' reaching their ears before they saw a large tangled form laying inside their fireplace, mercifully unlit.

"It's Santa!" Sirius cried.

Remus drew his wand, aimed rigidly at the writhing mass before him. He narrowed his eyes as he made out the constant swearing and two distinct forms emerged in a sooty mess from the fireplace.

"Santa -" Sirius exclaimed. "What the _fuck_?"

James and Peter stood in front of them, covered in soot, groaning and rubbing their backsides.

"What are you two doing?" Remus cried, lowering his wand.

James shrugged sheepishly, taking his glasses off and trying to wipe the soot from the lenses with the fabric of his shirt. "Uh, messing with Padfoot?"

Peter smiled apologetically at them both, recoiling when he saw Sirius glaring at him. "We were just going to make a clatter on the roof to make Sirius think it was St. Nick when this idiot -" Peter pointed at James. "- got a little too close to the chimney. I tried to grab him before he fell in, but he brought me down with him."

Remus started laughing. "You're _both_ idiots!"

Sirius crossed his arms. "You think it's funny? Not only is it rude to mock Santa Claus, but you both could have been hurt or killed."

James and Peter apologized profusely and eventually Sirius relaxed and shook his head wearily. "It's fine, I get it. _Gits_."

Sirius walked over to the window while Remus handed James and Peter towels he had retrieved so they could wipe the soot off their clothes. Sirius stared up at the dark sky, making out the few stars he could see so deep in London.

Suddenly he saw a flash of red in the sky nearby. "What was that?"

The others joined him at the window at his exclamation.

"What is it?" Remus asked, peering outside. He thought he saw a momentary surge of crimson streak through the sky, but no...that was impossible.

They were silent as they stared out through the glass when suddenly they heard a thump on the roof. They turned to look at each other when a loud _'Ho! Ho! Ho!'_ echoed through the room.

Sirius's jaw dropped and he raced to the fireplace, leaving the others to continue to stare at one another in disbelief.

James, Peter, and Remus all turned to gape at Sirius, who now held a brightly wrapped package in his hands bearing his name in elegant script.

Sirius beamed. "I told you he was real!"

As another thump sounded from the roof they heard a merry voice call, ' _Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!'_

The other three collapsed onto the sofa as Sirius tore into his package.

oOoOoOoOo

A/N: Reviews are delicious!


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